The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 1995
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1993
Peter S McGraw, Severna Park, MD (US);
John L Drake, Jr, Arnold, MD (US);
Thomas H Hane, Annapolis, MD (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A compress/melt waste processor includes a frame; a chamber housing having alls which define a chamber therein; a ram movably disposed in the chamber; a sensor which senses pressure applied by the ram; an actuator operatively connected to the ram to move the ram; a chamber hatch upon which the housing is mounted, the chamber housing walls, the ram and the chamber hatch defining a space therebetween; and a device for feeding contaminated plastic waste into the chamber. The apparatus also includes a device for heating the housing walls, the ram and the chamber hatch; a device for cooling the housing walls, the ram and the chamber hatch, a device for detecting temperature of the housing walls, the ram, the chamber hatch and the contaminated plastic waste in the chamber; and a control device for controlling the actuator and the heating and cooling devices. The control device activates the actuator so that the ram applies pressure to the contaminated plastic waste and also activates the heating device such that pressure and heat are concurrently applied to the plastic waste until the plastic waste reaches a predetermined temperature. The control device also activates the cooling device when a predetermined temperature has been reached in order to cool the heated plastic waste. A method incorporating the functional features of the apparatus produces an end product which is in a sanitary inert form such that it can be stored for a long period of time without creating a health hazard.